`Gilani-Singh talks will mark beginning of a new era`

Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, May 2 (PTI) Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf
Raza Gilani's cabinet has expressed the hope that the outcome
of his talks with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh will
mark the beginning of a "new era of relations between the two
countries".
The cabinet, during a meeting held Saturday, also
expressed the hope that the process of "talks for peace would
soon get underway", The News daily quoted its sources as
saying.
The cabinet "unanimously articulated its confidence in
the conduct of dialogue with the Indian leaders" by Gilani.
The cabinet endorsed the decisions made in Gilani's
talks with Singh on the sidelines of the South Asian
Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in Bhutan
last week and said the leadership of the two countries should
"not be carried away by the element that is opposed to peace
and tranquillity in the region".
This will pave the way for the peaceful resolution of
the problems of the two countries, including the "thorny
issues of Kashmir and water", the members of the cabinet said.
Gilani thanked his colleagues for their expression of
confidence and said he would take parliament and the people
into confidence about his discussions with Singh in Bhutan,
the daily quoted its sources as saying.
An official statement issued after the cabinet meeting
said it had endorsed the outcome of the SAARC summit and
Gilani's bilateral meetings with heads of delegations,
including the Indian Prime Minister. PTI